Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?
The hard-hitting live experience of a simple but iconic keychain, with a twist.
Because after 25 years of spreading a BOB keyring to non-drunk drivers, this year drunk drivers also received a keychain in exactly the same style and colour, but with real names of real children who died in a road traffic accident because of a drunk driver.
Background
In Belgium, Bob is a first name. But it’s also an ‘iconic key chain’ and a symbol recognised nationwide as being the name given to those that are the designated driver. The name was installed through the in Belgium iconic ‘Bob-campaign’ that has been running since 1995. For 25 consecutive years Police have continued to award non-drunk drivers during alcohol checks with special Bob keychains. So much so that 98% of all Belgians know exactly what Bob means and can recognise the yellow foam keychain immediately.
Yet, Belgians continue to drink and drive and 1 in 5 road accidents are still alcohol-related.
Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)
For the 25th anniversary of the BOB-campaign, and from this year forward, drunk drivers will now also receive a keychain. In the exact same style and same yellow colour as the BOB one, but bearing names such as Axelle, Corwin, Laetitia, Nathan, Olivier, Philippe, Romina, Timmy, … children who were killed in a traffic accident caused by a driver who was driving under the influence. These hard-hitting key rings are handed out by the police during routine alcohol checks. The offenders will also hear the story behind each victim name.
Drivers who were caught during the alcohol checks can exchange their non-Bob key ring for a traffic course at VIAS (the Belgian Traffic Institute). During this course, the consequences of alcohol on driving behaviour are discussed in more detail and the training examines the influence of alcohol on drivers’ behaviour in more detail.
Describe the strategy (20% of vote)
The BOB-campaign has been running for 25 years. Meaning that the press no longer gave it much attention, since every year again the same news fact came in: police will be handing out BOB keychains to non-drunk drivers. Yet, even after 25 years, Belgians keep drinking and driving. So, it was time to do something new and get the press talking again. To do just that the Belgian Traffic Institute decided to also introduce keychains to be handed out to drunk drivers. 8 different ones. All of them with names of children who died in a traffic accident because of a driver that was under the influence. These hard-hitting keyrings were distributed during Police alcohol checks and send to all news outlets in Belgium.
Describe the execution (30% of vote)
The ‘non-Bob’ key rings were handed out to drunk drivers during alcohol checks starting in December 2020. During these alcohol checks, police handed out key rings with the names of eight different child drink-driving victims. Caught drivers could also read the story behind each victim’s name. As from January, two campaign films announced these hard-hitting ‘non-Bob’ keyrings and on a website - www.non-bob.be - people could discover the heart-breaking stories of all victims, narrated by their parents. Drivers who were caught during the alcohol checks can exchange their ‘non-Bob’ key ring for a traffic course at VIAS (the Belgian Traffic Institute). This training examines the influence of alcohol on drivers’ behaviour in more detail.
List the results (30% of vote)
Sadly, the results are nothing to be proud of. In the first 3 months over 4,000 non-bob keychains were handed out to drunk drivers (together with a fine and eventually a driving licence withdrawal). All national press picked up the story, without any exception. Resulting in huge talk and debate value about the installation of a new zero-tolerance law. Because of this lasting news buzz, the distribution of the key rings will continue throughout the year and will now evolve - at Belgian Government’s request – from a temporary to a permanent campaign. Just like and together with the original BOB keychain. In the meantime, also the members of parliament in The Netherlands have demanded to follow the Belgian example and introduce the NON-Bob key rings next to the BOB ones, in order to achieve a sustained behavioural change overtime.